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Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 9: Kinship as an Organising Principle: Descent-Patrilineal, Matrilineal...

Unit 9: Kinship as an Organising Principle: Notes

Descent-Patrilineal, Matrilineal,
Double and Cognatic Descent

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction

9.1 Descent
9.2 Summary
9.3 Keywords

9.4 Review Questions
9.5 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, students will be able to:

• Understand the rule of pedigree.
• Knowledge of the methods of the establishment of pedigree.

Introduction

There are more importance of destowed circumstances in primitive and simple societies. In such
societies, the post-determination of persons, their rights and rights on incumbent property and
relationship with other persons, etc., are based on birth relationship. Here primary social group
are attached with brotherhood and mostly their membership is established by pedigree.

9.1 Descent

‘Kinship’ and ‘Descent’ are two different words. Though many a times, it is difficult to differen-
tiate between the two. To define Descent; social, cultural and biological basis have been taken
into account.
Reverse has used the word ‘Descent’, with two different meaning. One in a form, by which the
membership of any group is determined and the other, by which property position and rights
are communicated. Defining ‘Descent’, Pedington writes— “The rules of Descent are those
which regularize the membership (by birth) of an individual in a social group, though such a
membership is obtained in case of adoption, in specific circumstances.
In this way, Pedington includes both, the social and the biological basis in the membership of
the Descent group. According to Bohnan, “When a child is born to a married couple, his relation
to both of them is addressed by the Descent kinship.” In this definition, Bohnan has depicted
‘Descent’ as a system denoting mother-father and child’s Kinship. Mardoc writes, “Descent
indicates entirely towards a cultural ideology, in which an individual is linked to a socially

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